Pause before patrolling: common darter

Common darter dragonfly taking one of its regular pauses between bouts of patrolling its territory, ready to chase off encroaching males or try to attract passing females.

This one landed right by my fee to rest on the decking by the pool at Compton Park. Two, and sometimes three of these males have been claiming territory on different parts of the open water near this decking, and regularly coming to take pauses on the wood in the afternoon sun.